19/05/2008

Before the European Culture Ministers and the president of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso climbed the Palace steps for the official screening of Matteo Garrone’s Gomorrah [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Domenico Procacci
interview: Jean Labadie
interview: Matteo Garrone
film profile] (in competition at the Cannes Film Festival) on Saturday evening, Jeanne Moreau launched the European Directors’ Tour de France in the afternoon.

The press conference on the Croisette was also led by Viviane Reding, the European Commissioner for Information Society and Media.

The event – an initiative of the Europa Cinemas network as part of the Season of European Culture during the French presidency of the EU Council in the second half of 2008 – will give French audiences the chance to discover 27 films from all over Europe.

So far, the line-up includes Happy-Go-Lucky [+see also:
trailer
film profile] by UK director Mike Leigh; Song of Songs [+see also:
film review
interview: Gayle Griffiths
interview: Josh Appignanesi
film profile] by fellow Brit Josh Appignanesi; Tricks [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Andrzej Jakimowski
interview: Tomasz Gąssowski
film profile] by Poland’s Andrzej Jakimowski; Ca m’est égal si demain n’arrive pas (“I Don’t Care If Tomorrow Never Comes”) by Belgium’s Guillaume Malandrin; Arash T. Riahi’s Austrian documentary For a Moment, Freedom; Magnus Carlsson’s Swedish animated film Desmond and the Swamp Barbarian Trap; Pia Marais’ German feature The Unpolished [+see also:
trailer
film profile]; and Italian Cannes competition title Gomorrah.

The full programme will be unveiled in mid-June.

(Translated from French)